A Study on Factors and Correlations of Burnout and Job Satisfaction of Dietitians in Hospitals

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine factors and the correlations of burnout and job satisfaction in hospital dietitians. Burnout was classified into three sub-concepts emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Job satisfaction was also classified into three sub-concepts, including relationships, self-realization, and advancement opportunities. A survey was conducted with dietitians working in general hospitals of over 400 beds, in the Seoul metropolitan area. The factors that significantly influenced emotional exhaustion were health, work hours, number of intern dietitians, self-esteem, level of responsibility, while the factors that influenced depersonalization were relationships with coworkers, and role ambiguity. Personal accomplishment was influenced by age, the number of staff dietitians, the general number of managed workers, and self-esteem. In terms of job satisfaction, relationship was affected by age and relationships with supervisors, while self-realization was influenced by work hours, health, the number of patient meals, and role ambiguity. Age, job regularity, business management, role ambiguity, and relationships with supervisors also affected advancement opportunities. Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishments, which represented burnout, had negative relationships with satisfaction with relationships, self-realization and advancement opportunities. Dietitians with low job satisfaction were likely to experience burnout. These results suggest that burnout and job satisfaction are influenced by internal and external factors that are individual or organizational problems encountered by hospital dietitians. Therefore, managers as well as dietitians need to understand these factors and overcome them through communication and mutual support.